Miami Dolphins need to stick with Henne as starter

September 3, 2010|Ethan J. Skolnick, Sun Sentinel Columnist

No breaking the glass. No looking back.

While I suspect, along with a growing number of observers, that the Miami Dolphins could have more short-term success by turning to the crafty, poised, proven Chad Pennington, I simply can't endorse the implementation of my hunch. Not now. Not anytime soon. Not even after Chad Henne's uneven preseason, which continued Thursday night with misfires toward Brian Hartline on a fly and Brandon Marshall on a fade. Not when the Dolphins wouldn't win a Super Bowl this February with either guy anyway.

At this stage?

No change.

I wouldn't even consider one until Henne malfunctions so completely that he needs to be unplugged for his own good, and returned to the field only when fully reprogrammed and recharged.

Yes, I have written repeatedly that the Dolphins should play the best guy at a position regardless of investment or expectation, that they shouldn't be stubborn and so on. Quarterback is the screaming exception. Decisions about this position are symbolic as well as strategic. It's the position that breeds or erodes confidence in a football franchise, and its ability to assess and develop talent. It frames all debates, and justifies faith or fear. If the Dolphins reach for the steadier hand too quickly, at the expense of Henne's continuing education, they'll look like an unsteady outfit.

Remember, the Dolphins passed on Matt Ryan to take left tackle Jake Long in 2008. Then, after grabbing Henne in the second round, they made it clear to fans, players and even Pennington (the 2008 NFL MVP runner-up) that the Michigan product would lead the franchise for years, so much so that owner Steve Ross absurdly compared the kid to Dan Marino. A reversal of that stance would create a crisis of confidence in this regime, not just externally but perhaps internally, giving rise to the notion that it whiffed on the single most important selection in its care:

The franchise quarterback.

Because, really, if you get that wrong as an executive, it doesn't matter what else you get right. A flop sets an organization back several seasons, creating a need to find and groom another prospect, a task which often falls to a new front office. Last decade, the top four winning franchises were the Colts, Patriots, Eagles and Steelers. Sure, all four drafted well at many positions and in many rounds. But four picks made them defy parity: 1998 first round ( Peyton Manning), 2000 sixth round ( Tom Brady), 1999 first round ( Donovan McNabb) and 2004 first round ( Ben Roethlisberger).

What's the key to sustained NFL success?

"Get a quarterback," ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said. "Get a quarterback, and if you don't get a quarterback, get rid of him and get another one. The teams that are winning, consistently winning, are getting quality play from the quarterback."

If Gruden had gotten a good young one in Tampa Bay, he might still be coaching there.

Still, let's amend his statement somewhat.

The Dolphins don't need to get rid of Henne, nor give up on him. Not yet. Not after he went 7-6 while debuting under difficult circumstances. Not when you consider his raw material – the arm, intelligence, diligence and college experience that got the Dolphins' attention in the first place.

Rather, they need to get it out of him. They need to coach him up, not sit him down.

That's on Tony Sparano, Dan Henning, David Lee, even Bill Parcells.

They saw it. Now let's see it.

They need to get him to fix his flaws on the fly, whether those flaws involve fixating on receivers and throwing too late, or simply giving up on a play too early. They need to get Henne to capably straddle the line between playing safe and playing to win, between taking shots and cutting losses. They need, over time, to turn him into more pitcher than thrower, more head than arm. More like, well, Pennington, who showed his savvy not only on a back-shoulder touchdown throw to Brian Hartline, but on a pass interference call he drew with a deep toss to Patrick Cobbs.

They need to do everything short of turning to Pennington, which would be nothing short of a concession of failure.